Overview
- The fire that tore through Grade II-listed Newell House in Sherborne Sunday has left the building’s roof collapsed and the structure unsafe.
- About 35 firefighters from several towns used an aerial ladder and a water carrier to fight the blaze overnight, and residents were told to keep doors and windows closed because of smoke.
- The A30 at Kit Hill and nearby Greenhill closed with diversions in place, and police returned Monday to manage heavy traffic delays on approach roads.
- Dorset Police now treat the cause as suspicious, with an active investigation under way and extra officers in the area asking the public for information.
- Dorset Council appointed a contractor to make dangerous sections safe under emergency powers, as town leaders urge enforcement or even compulsory purchase to deal with the derelict site.